title: Pulmonary rehabilitation in non-small cell lung cancer patients after completion of treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The functional status of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is often limited not only by cancer itself, but also by the different types of treatment and by comorbidities [eg, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure]. The aim of this study was to investigate the utility of an inpatient multidisciplinary pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) program on pulmonary function and exercise capacity of patients with NSCLC after completion of their treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-seven patients with NSCLC underwent a PR program after completing cancer treatment. Pulmonary function tests, arterial blood gases, 6-minute walk test, and dyspnea severity before and after PR were retrospectively analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After undergoing PR, patients exhibited significantly higher forced expiratory volume in the first second (mean increase, 110 ± 240 mL; P=0.007), forced vital capacity (mean increase, 130 ± 290 mL; P=0.001), and 6-minute walk test distance (mean increase, 41 m; P<0.001). A statistically significant improvement in the severity of dyspnea (mean decrease in the Modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale: 0.26 ± 0.61; P=0.007) was observed. We observed that improvement in pulmonary function and exercise capacity was similar among patients with and without COPD and among patients who underwent thoracic surgery or not.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with NSCLC who could accomplish PR program, after multidisciplinary treatment for the main disease, seem to benefit in terms of exercise capacity and pulmonary function. These benefits are independent of concurrent COPD and surgical treatment for lung cancer.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Pneumology, Karl-Hansen-Klinik, Bad Lippspringe, Germany.
authors.forename: Georg P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Glattki
authors.forename: Katerina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Manika
authors.forename: Lazaros
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sichletidis
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alexe
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brenke
authors.forename: Dionisios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Spyratos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000628:therapy; D015897:Comorbidity; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000503:physiopathology; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015397:Program Evaluation; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014797:Vital Capacity; D016138:Walking